Hundreds of protesters formed a human chain around a leisure centre threatened with closure.

Dressed in sports gear and bearing pots, pans and whistles, more than 700 people of all ages gathered outside Wrexham’s Plas Madoc Leisure Centre to kick off a colourful demonstration.

One of the Save Plas Madoc Leisure Centre leaders Alison Roberts, said the peaceful protest aimed to get people “Moving and a grooving”, to show their strength of feeling, that a facility to promote exercise, could be axed.

The protest had been planned on Saturday, ahead of a Wrexham council executive board meeting tomorrow, where a decision over the controversial proposals was due to be taken.

But given the strength of the angry backlash against the push to axe Plas Madoc, council chiefs have extended a consultation phase by another two weeks, before a decision is made.

One of the protesters, Greg Ogden said he was overwhelmed by the “fantastic” turnout this weekend.

Speaking to the Daily Post, he added: “The atmosphere was amazing, there were people of all ages and walks of life from children to the elderly and disabled in the fight against closure.

“We estimated around 700 people came, which allowed us all to link arms and form a human chain around the large building to re-enforce to the council just how important it is to the community.

“Several people also spoke about what the centre means to them, one man, who suffered from a stroke told of how the leisure centre has helped him on the road to recovery.

The location of the new facility had been earmarked for the Crown Buildings site in Wrexham, but councillors asked for other options to be considered.

The SPLC campaign has gained massive backing since it started about a month ago, including from Wrexham FC player manager Andy Morrell, and former Welsh football international Robbie Savage.

A petition was launched against the plans when news broke, which stood at nearly 1,400 on Friday.

Wrexham council leaders insist they are having to find £13.8m cuts this year and an estimated £45m over the next five years and are facing hard decisions.

Sports consultants brought in by the council said the local authority’s 11 leisure facilities needed £2.9m spending on them over the next five years, with Plas Madoc alone needing £1.7m.

Plas Madoc is losing about £550,000 a year and Waterworld £330,000, they said – a total of £886,000.

Campaigners have argued closing the two leisure centres and building the new one at a location yet to be agreed, at a cost of £789,000 per year, would only save £97,000 a year and want other options explored.